Denver police released the name but little information Monday about a man being called a person of interest in a wave of burglaries near the University of Denver campus.
Tarius Laquan Simes, 33, of Aurora was arrested early Saturday after a foot chase and manhunt near DU. He faces charges of aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary, according to a statement from police Monday.
He remained in the Denver County Jail Monday on $500,000 bail.
He has been arrested several times on similar charges in Arapahoe County. His criminal record includes charges of theft, receiving stolen property, trespassing and identity theft.
He is awaiting trial in Denver County on criminal conspiracy charges from an arrest this year, according to public records.
Police spokeswoman Leslie Branch-Wise said the case is under investigation, so police are limited in the information they’re willing to release on possible connections to other crimes.
Police also had not released a booking photo.
Investigators “developed information on Simes , and during the follow-up, he was contacted in the DU area and arrested after he fled from officers,” according to a statement.
Officers approached Simes at 4:45 a.m. Saturday in the 2400 block of South High Street, and he ran away. Officers swarmed the neighborhood, checked cars and questioned pedestrians. About 7:40 a.m., Simes was found and surrendered, police said.
Dozens of homes have been burglarized in the DU area during the past three years, including about a dozen this year, but it’s possible not all the cases are related, police have said.
In the latest break-in, a DU student awoke early Thursday to find a man in her bedroom. He told her he had a gun and ordered her to put her head under a pillow or he would shoot her. She complied.
Victims have been robbed of laptop computers, other electronics, jewelry and money, police have said.
Residents have set up home security systems and bought guns, as public officials made statements to allay fears in the neighborhood.
Staff writer Colleen O’Connor contributed to this report. Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
